Hodgson keeps believing

04 Oct 2013 12:01:54

England manager Roy Hodgson remains convinced he will not have to face up to a "doomsday scenario" of failing to take his side into the 2014 World Cup finals.

The Three Lions are currently top of Group H heading into the last two ties, but only a point clear of Ukraine and Montenegro, who are the visitors to Wembley on October 11 before Hodgson's men finish their regulation qualifying campaign at home to Poland four days later.

There has been much talk from new Football Association chairman Greg Dyke on the future direction of the senior national team and how to get more quality players available to Hodgson, whom he insists continues to be the right man to lead England - whether or not the Three Lions flag will be flying all the way to Brazil next summer.

Hodgson, though, has no intentions of letting anything deflect his focus from getting England to deliver the required performances out of what are already being billed as the two most important matches he will have tackled anywhere as a manager.

"There are always bridges to cross in your life and footballing career. When that bridge appears, you cross it, but I don't cross bridges before I come to them," said Hodgson.

"As for the doomsday scenarios put before me, I won't have to confront them because I believe the team will do it.

"There is very good support for the team. The team, when we put out our best side, is a very good team."

Hodgson is set to appear on BBC One's Match of The Day on Saturday night, which will see him share the same studio as former striker Gary Lineker, who irritated the England manager with some of his post-match Twitter comments following the goalless draw in Ukraine.

Following that, Hodgson will take in West Brom against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon and then wait for his squad to assemble at St George's Park, hopefully all unscathed from club duties.

"My whole life at the moment is focused on these two games. I don't want to consider engagements here or three, it is all just October 11 and (October) 15," the England manager continued.